Decoration of products, through labeling for example, is an important aspect to the marketing of a product—it provides not only a description of the product but also provides aesthetic qualities to entice purchasing. Labels used to decorate articles include heat transferable labels and shrink sleeve labels. Heat transferable labels are multi-layered laminates, with each layer having its own function. For example, heat transferable labels generally include an adhesive layer, an ink layer, and a wax release layer. The wax release layer is often directly adjacent a carrier sheet, such as on a roll or web of labels. When subjected to heat, the wax release layer melts, thereby allowing the laminate to be separated for the carrier sheet, and the adhesive layer adheres the ink layer to an article being labeled. The wax release layer may provide protection to the ink layer. Additionally or alternatively, the labels may include a separate protective layer overlying the ink layer to protect the ink layer from abrasion.
In the heat transfer process, articles, such as containers made of plastic and glass, are put in contact with an image of the ink layer, which becomes part of the container. The image is preprinted in reverse, such as by using rotogravure printing technologies on a continuous paper web with a special release agent, for example. The web is passed over a preheater (200° to 300° F.) then a transfer plate (300° to 500° F.) that heats the web to soften the release agent (i.e., the wax) and activates the adhesive. A heated rubber transfer roller causes the activated adhesive to come in contact with the article being labeled. The heated roller maintains web-to-article contact throughout the label application and thus transfers the laminate, including the ink layer image. Preheating or preflaming may be necessary to prepare the container surface to allow for a permanent bond. After label application, postcuring or postflaming may also be necessary depending on container material.
Shrink films, such as shrink sleeves and shrink wraps, are also often used in decoration, such as labeling of articles. The use of these films involves sizing a shrink film, which may be a tubular shrink sleeve for flat shrink wrap, to an article, and snugly enclosing the shrink film around the article by shrinking the film. This shrinking process is accomplished by the application of heat to the shrink film. The shrink film may generally be formed from polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polyvinyl chloride, or oriented polystyrene, for example. This film has an inherent tension, which is released by heating the film from the outside in a shrink oven.
Labels, such as the heat-transferable and shrink sleeve labels described above, are commonly used to decorate and/or to label commercial articles, such as, and without limitation, containers for beverages (including alcoholic beverages, such as beer), essential oils, detergents, adverse chemicals, as well as health and beauty aids. Heat-transferable labels are desirably resistant to abrasion and chemical effects in order to avoid a loss of label information and desirably possess good adhesion to the articles to which they are affixed. However, several drawbacks are associated with current heat transferable labels, as well as with shrink sleeve labels and other types of labels.
For example, heat transferable labels include a gloss or sheen. This gloss is generally attributable to the protective layer. The high gloss or sheen of the heat transferable label often may be a desirable aesthetic quality. However, in the case where an article is “textured” (i.e., does not have a high gloss surface), a high gloss label can result in an unaesthetic contrast with the textured article.
Further, the high gloss of the label more specifically is an effect of the smooth surface of the protective layer. This smooth surface imparts a slippery quality to the label that does not allow for a comfortable or solid grip of an article to which it is applied. The slippery nature of such labels can lead to an increase in the number of articles and labels that are damaged due to dropping of the article, etc. This leads to increased costs of the article. This problem is prevalent not only in heat-transferable labels, but also with other smooth and glossy labels, such as a shrink sleeve label.
Further still, heat-transferable labels and shrink sleeve labels do not have any thermal barrier properties. Often, articles being labeled are containers designed to hold other substances. These substances may be hot when placed in the container, or can subsequently be made hot (for example, soup in a microwaveable container). In the absence of any thermal barrier, the heat of the contents can be transferred through the container and label. When the article is then grasped, the heat can cause injury. These drawbacks may be found in labels other than heat-transferable labels and shrink sleeve labels, including, but not limited to, in-mold labels.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a label that would allow both quality printing of graphical information, and also provide a tactile feature, which can enhance grip. In doing so, it would be desirable for the tactile feature to generally match that of an article to which the label is applied in order to be aesthetically pleasing. It would be further desirable for such a label to provide thermal barrier properties.